Trends in pulmonary embolism death rates for Canada and the United States, 1962-87.
To investigate the effect of advances in the prevention and treatment of pulmonary embolism, we examined the rates of death from pulmonary embolism in Canada for 1965-87 and compared them with those for the United States for 1962-84. The direct method of age standardization was used on sex-specific and age-specific death rates, with the 1960 US population as the standard. In both countries the death rates increased then decreased, although the changes in the Canadian rates occurred later and were less pronounced than those in the US rates. Men and elderly people were at higher risk of death from pulmonary embolism than women and younger people. Prevention strategies, possibly including encouraging a more active lifestyle and targetting high-risk groups, may further reduce pulmonary embolism death rates in both countries.
Soskolne
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CL
Department of Health Services Administration and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
Wong
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AW
Lilienfeld
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DE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000401:mortality*; D014481:United States